Election

A new political force has emerged that may help advance the economic and wealth-building status of African Americans. The Black Economic Alliance, an organization of leading African American entrepreneurs and executives, announced today that it has already raised $ 3.5 million to impact highly-competitive gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, and House races in states and districts, respectively, with sizable black populations and where such turnout during the midterm election could prove decisive.

During a press briefing via conference call in which BLACK ENTERPRISE joined other members of the national media, the group also revealed endorsements for a group of Democratic gubernatorial candidates in heated, high-profile campaigns: Stacey Abrams, former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives seeking to become chief executive of that state; Ben Jealous, a former NAACP CEO and tech financier running for the Maryland statehouse; and Richard Cordray, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director during the Obama administration who is seeking to lead Ohio. The group also stated that it will back U.S. Senator and 2016 vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine. BEC members say that it will continue raising funds up until the midterms to support congressional candidates in another 10 to 12 contests.

Midterm Election Strategy: Push Economic Agenda

The BEC came together to use their collective power and wealth to elect representatives who will vigorously push an economic agenda for African Americans, which as a group continues to lag behind their counterparts in homeownership, wages, and access to capital for business expansion despite a reportedly robust economy. Operating under the banner “Work, Wages and Wealth for Black Americans,” the organization has a board that includes the nation’s most influential business people, including co-chair Tony Coles, chairman and CEO of biotech firm Yumanity Therapeutics; co-chair Charles Phillips, CEO of tech company Infor Inc. and one of BE’s Most Powerful Executives; Bruce Gordon, a former NAACP head and ex-Verizon senior executive; and Marva Smalls, Global Head of Inclusion Strategy for Viacom who can be found of BE’s top diversity executives roster, among others.

Said Coles during the press briefing: “We’re in a unique position to understand both the priorities of the boardroom and far-reaching consequences of existing economic policies that disproportionately exclude black Americans from accessing good-paying jobs and benefiting from programs that help build wealth in our communities. We want to bridge the gap between the political candidates and the people most impacted by their policies, so we can increase work, wages, and wealth for black people in this country.”

“Black communities in America continue to suffer from institutionalized economic disparities. With 6.7 million unfilled jobs in this country, it’s more important than ever that we invest in black workers and businesses to make the economy work better for everyone,” said Akunna Cook, BEC’s executive director. “But the only way we get there is with a government that is accountable and responsive to the needs of the nation’s black communities when it comes to jobs, pay, and economic opportunity.”

Black-Owned Businesses Provide Financial Muscle

There have been other instances when prominent African American business owners have come together to form political action committees. For example, some 20 years ago BLACK ENTERPRISE Publisher Earl G. Graves Sr. brought together CEOs of some of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses to use their financial muscle to create a PAC to support politicians that would advocate for a larger slice of public contracts and jobs for minorities as well as counter fervent anti-affirmative action measures pushed by conservatives at the time.

At yesterday’s press briefing, Jealous, Abrams, and Cordray told BEC officials that they would tackle today’s issues that hamper the economic progress of people of color. For instance, Jealous, a partner with Kapor Capital, a venture fund that backs diverse startups, maintains that “as a civil rights leader and businessman, I know that building an inclusive economy through broad-based reforms will ensure all working people can provide their families with a better future.” In a tough, contentious battle against Gov. Larry Hogan, an incumbent with a huge war chest, Jealous fully embraces BEC’s backing to gain campaign financing and support voter outreach.

Abrams, who has garnered much national attention and candidly spoken of her roughly $ 170,000 in credit card and student debt—which she says has helped her identify with a multi-generational constituency that has faced the same struggles of caring for elderly parents and trying to pay off educational expenses—says she’ll use BEC’s support to promote her message to “work to strengthen our economy of all working people across Georgia, but there is no question it will take direct engagement and a strong vision for addressing historic imbalances that have hurt our black communities in particular.”

Russian operatives have penetrated some of Florida’s election systems and could delete registered voters ahead of the November elections if the systems are not adequately protected, Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday.

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A special election next Tuesday in a Republican-leaning congressional district in Ohio has narrowed significantly, according to the results of a Monmouth University Poll released Wednesday.RTT – Political News

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

It is tough to believe that any President other than Donald Trump would hold a summit with Russia days after special counsel Robert Mueller delivered a sensational indictment that accuses the Kremlin of a deeply penetrating attack on American democracy.

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

President Donald Trump continues to cast doubt on US intelligence assessments that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential contest, just as his aides announced details of his upcoming summit talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared himself the winner of a high-stakes election, surviving the most serious challenge yet to his political dominance and tightening his grip on the nation he has ruled for 15 years.

NEW YORK (AP) — Throughout much of last year, millions of American women resented that a man who’d bragged about sexually assaulting women had been elected president. Then came an electrifying moment — detailed allegations that another powerful man had sexually assaulted or harassed dozens of women as one of Hollywood’s leading producers.Entertainment Headlines

With the midterm congressional primaries about to go into full swing, the Department of Homeland Security is playing catch-up in helping to ensure that state election systems are secure against cybertampering by the Russians or others bent on mischief.Politics Headlines

As the fallout from the 2016 election continues and we learn more about how foreign agents (*cough*RUSSIA*cough) interfered in that election by exploiting weakness online, Google is the latest tech giant to announce new transparency measures ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

On Friday, senior vice president Kent Walker published a blog post that outlined Google’s new efforts, including verification of political ad buyers and transparency reports. According to Walker, for those wishing to publish political ads, Google will “require that advertisers confirm they are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, as required by law.” Read more…

One night at a lavish Hollywood party, Seth Rogen and a group of “much more famous” actors had gathered in the foyer to smoke weed, as one does, when—suddenly—the pungent clouds parted to reveal a mythical, kindly-faced creature approaching: Steven Spielberg.

When Spielberg arrived, the coterie of A-list pot-smokers was nervous as hell. “It was kind of like our Dad caught us smoking weed. It definitely had that vibe,” recalls a chuckling Rogen, before adding, “Not to say Steven Spielberg’s a narc.” And though Rogen’s very publicly claimed that Spielberg “never looked at me as a serious actor again,” he confesses that the director’s professional aversion “probably has more to do with my talent level than anything else.”

A Donald Trump foreign policy adviser pushed government agencies to review materials from the dark web in the summer of 2016 that he thought were Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails, multiple sources with direct knowledge tell CNN.

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A Texas woman will be serving five years in prison because she voted in the 2016 election. It turns out that 43-year-old Crystal Mason was on parole during this time and Texas law states that a felon cannot vote while …

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

ROME (Reuters) – Italy faces a prolonged period of political instability after voters delivered a hung parliament in Sunday’s election, spurning traditional parties and flocking to anti-establishment and far-right groups in record numbers.

ROME (AP) — Election projections in Italy early Monday showed a center-right coalition that includes an anti-migrant party edging past the populist 5-Star Movement, but no single bloc or party with the support to win a majority in Parliament.World Headlines

The Russian government denied Monday that it had interfered in the 2016 US election campaign in the Kremlin’s first remarks since 13 Russian nationals were indicted Friday on charges of conspiring to defraud the US.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office has revealed that a federal grand jury has indicted several Russians for allegedly interfering in the 2016 presidential election. The federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned the indictment Friday against thirteen Russian nationals and three Russian entities.RTT – Political News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Facebook Inc will start using postcards sent by U.S. mail later this year to verify the identities and location of people who want to purchase U.S. election-related advertising on its site, a senior company executive said on Saturday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Russian propaganda arm oversaw a criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to support Donald Trump and disparage Hillary Clinton, said an indictment released on Friday that revealed more details than previously known about Moscow’s purported effort to interfere.

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Russian propaganda arm oversaw a criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to support Donald Trump and disparage Hillary Clinton, said an indictment released on Friday that revealed more details than previously known about Moscow’s purported effort to interfere.

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment Friday against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities accused of violating US laws to interfere with US elections and political processes.

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

Vladimir Putin may not be bounding on stage to accept them any time soon. Regardless, all the ad industry’s marketing campaign awards should go to the Russian leader for his spectacular 2016 election hack, according to an international alliance of advertising creatives.

The anonymous group calls itself Project Meddle, and it claims to have already paid to enter a portfolio describing Russia’s election activities to all the industry award shows: the Webbys, the One Show, the Cannes Lions, the Clios and the Addys.

In October 1976, the photographer William Eggleston traveled from his home in Memphis to Plains, Georgia, the home town of Jimmy Carter, who was days away from winning the presidency. He took pictures along the way, most of them in and around Plains. The results were first published in a very limited edition entitled Election Eve, a slightly edited version of which will be republished later this month by Steidl.

On Thursday, The Washington Post published a bombshell report revealing that “in the final days before Donald Trump was sworn in as president, members of his inner circle pleaded with him to acknowledge publicly what U.S. intelligence agencies had already concluded—that Russia’s interference in the 2016 election was real.”

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

With women, especially women of color, still hugely underrepresented in political office, many feminists were moved by the historic progress made for political representation in 2017—myself included. While we celebrate the historic wins, we should also seize the opportunity to learn from these trailblazing new leaders and to think big about what women who are now considering running for office might gain from their examples nationwide.

Despite a surge in political activism among progressive women following Trump’s election, data shows that women are still significantly less likely than men to consider running for office themselves. A national survey from May found that only 23 percent of women say they have considered running for office compared to 38 percent of men, with men more than twice as likely to report having “seriously” considered it. Earlier studies found that this gap is present across women and men of different races, ages, and income levels. Even with the increase in women’s progressive political engagement since Trump took office, researchers note that “other factors that impede women’s political ambition—in particular, their self-assessments of whether they’re qualified to run for office—are longstanding and deeply embedded.”

Some of the trailblazing women who won elections this year were open about their initial doubts about seeking public office. Kathy Tran, one of the first Asian American women elected to the Virginia House, told CNN: “I never thought I would run for office. It was something not in my wildest dreams—partly because nobody ever looked like me that was elected to office.” A woman elected to the city council in Anchorage, Alaska earlier this year said that as the filing deadline approached, “I kept thinking, surely someone more competitive will sign up.”

Watching other women take that leap, run and then win can open up new ideas about what is possible in our own lives.

Of course, there is more to the story than simply shifting beliefs about running for office. Many women—disproportionately women of color and low-income women—face entrenched barriers that can make it difficult for them to run, even when the interest in serving in office is already there. As Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams told The Grio earlier this year, women of color can come up against the dual challenges of their own doubts about preparedness and external discouragement: “I think for women of color, it’s not only being ready to run but it’s also feeling the pressure not to run because we’re often told it’s not our turn.” Relatedly, women of color often face a deck stacked against them when it comes to accessing the fundraising money that political gatekeepers use to determine whether someone is a “viable” candidate. It’s a problem exacerbated by a political fundraising landscape dominated by a tiny, unrepresentative slice of ultra-wealthy donors. In addition, the fact that local and state offices tend to offer very low pay often serves to exclude women who aren’t independently wealthy.

Even as we work to fix these structural barriers in the long-term, watching women from all backgrounds decide to run—and then seeing so many of them win—may help inspire others to reconsider assumptions about whether they, too, can run and win. One young woman who aspires to become the first black woman elected mayor of Philadelphia put it this way earlier this year: “If they can do it, I can do it. If she can run, I can run.”

Layne Amerikaner is the senior communications manager for writing and content at People For the American Way and coauthor of Thinking Outside the Girl Box: Teaming Up With Resilient Youth in Appalachia. She has a master’s degree in public policy and women’s studies from George Washington University.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday said he believes U.S. intelligence agencies, which have concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. But Trump also said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is sincere when he says Russia didn’t interfere.U.S. Headlines

The outcome of two major contests—gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey—demonstrated that Donald Trump did not have coattails to carry the GOP to victory.

A year after the election that ushered in the incendiary Trump presidency, Democrats achieved huge wins and a much-needed momentum boost on Election Day after recent intraparty controversies and a series of special election defeats earlier this year. But the successful campaigns proved the value of coalition politics and, the contest in Virginia, in particular, demonstrated that African American voter turnout continues to prove critical for Democratic fortunes.

As the Democrats take a victory lap—the party also gained important local victories in New York and North Carolina—the results of these contest will force the leadership of both parties to re-evaluate their strategic thrust and voter messaging as they prepare for next year’s rough-and-tumble mid-term elections.

(Ralph Northam is the new governor-elect of Virginia. Image: Twitter/RalphNortham)

Moreover, a bit of history was also made on election night when 38-year-old Democratic state senator Justin Fairfax became the second African American to be elected as Virginia’s lieutenant governor—32 years after L. Douglas Wilder achieved that milestone. The significance of that victory is that the position has traditionally served as the path to high office. In fact, Wilder became the first African American elected governor in the Old Dominion and the nation four years later in 1989.

(Justin Fairfax is the lieutenant governor-elect of Virginia. Image: fairfaxforlg.com)

In other races: New Jersey Democratic nominee Phil Murphy beat Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno to take the governor’s mansion in the Garden State–a referendum on the scandal-plagued administration of the nation’s most unpopular governor, Chris Christie. Moreover, history was made in that statewide contest with the election of Sheila Oliver, who became the first African American female lieutenant governor of New Jersey.

Incumbent Bill de Blasio easily won re-election to gain a second term as mayor of New York City.

The Virginia governor’s race offered a real litmus test on the immunity of Trump’s appeal as well as the development of a strategy for Dems to gain congressional seats in 2018. Political analyst Zerlina Maxwell told CBS News on election night that a major part of the equation will continue to include African American voters; a major contributor to the sweeping victories of Northam and Fairfax and reportedly the greatest Democratic power shift in the State Legislature in more than 40 years.

According to The Washington Post, exit poll results showed that African Americans comprised 21% of voters, similar to the participation in the 2016 presidential election that delivered Hillary Clinton the second highest statewide turnout. In fact, the black electorate favored Northam over Gillespie by a whopping 73-point margin, according to the Post.

Democrats heavily courted black Virginian voters in the weeks leading up to the election—even recruiting former President Barack Obama to hold an October rally in Richmond, the state capital as well as getting him to record an endorsement message as part of the campaign’s get-out-the-vote effort. In the final days, Northam and Fairfax brought out other high-profile black politicians, New Jersey Sen. Corey Booker and Minnesota Rep. and Deputy DNC Chair Keith Ellison.

There had been concerns prior to the election related to black voter participation due, in part, to Northam’s inability to connect in earlier stages of his campaign. Black voter turnout had also declined nationally in the post-Obama era. But myriad Democrats predicted a surge as a result of this past summer’s deadly rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia, by white supremacists. According to Politico, BlackPac, an independent organization that spent more than $ 1 million in mail, digital, media, and grassroots voter outreach, found that African American voters throughout the state have been alarmed by the current political environment. In fact, its poll found that 54% of black voters believed people of color were under siege and 73% embraced the statement that their vote would “send a resounding message to Trump.”

DNC Political and Organizing Director Amanda Brown Lierman released the following statement: “The DNC knows that the victories we celebrate would be impossible without the massive support from the African American men and women who made up a fifth of the commonwealth’s electorate. Undoubtedly, a cornerstone of our party, black voters continued to surge to the polls in a tremendous way, set the tone for future elections and paved the way for government that truly represents them.”

Northam’s campaign was also buoyed by overwhelming diverse voter support from Northern Virginia and the fact that Trump has an overall 35% approval rate in the state.

Trump endorsed but did not openly campaign for Gillespie, who used race-baiting tactics like the airing of negative TV ads aimed at immigration, attempting to link the Northam campaign to “Latino gang violence” despite protests from Democrats and Latino groups of the promotion of racial stereotypes. He also supported protection of Confederate monuments, an approach in which Trump tweeted his support during his campaign, and mocked the NFL protests against racial inequality and police brutality inspired by quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem. And although he tried to distance himself from Trump, Gillespie aggressively campaigned using the pugnacious politician’s playbook, especially the stance against sanctuary cities.

After Gillespie’s defeat, however, Trump blasted the former GOP chairman on Twitter: “Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for. Don’t forget Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!”

In a victory speech in Virginia, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez began positioning the party for the 2018 races by asserting that Northam’s gubernatorial victory “sent a message” to Trump, who is currently on a tour of Asia: “The America that Donald Trump comes back to in a few days is far different than the America he left. It’s an America, where we are regaining our values.”

Perez later tweeted an early appeal to constituents and party members: “Tonight was a great night for Democrats, but now more than ever, we know we can’t get ahead of ourselves. Sign up to make today’s victories tomorrow’s victories too.”

In October 1976, the photographer William Eggleston traveled from his home in Memphis to Plains, Georgia, the home town of Jimmy Carter, who was days away from winning the presidency. He took pictures along the way, most of them in and around Plains. The results were first published in a very limited edition entitled Election Eve, a slightly edited version of which will be republished later this month by Steidl.

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

STERLING HEIGHTS, MICH. — There’s still a sharp pain in Sarah Moberly’s gut. The hurt and disbelief she felt watching the presidential election one year ago remains ever-present. In fact, it has escalated. “Honestly, I feel absolutely worse today than I did last year and it just keeps getting worse every day,” she told The…Living | New York Post

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

1. Germany’s election: Angela Merkel is expected to win a fourth term as German Chancellor. She goes against Martin Schulz of the Social Democratic Party in Sunday’s election.Latest financial news – CNNMoney.com

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

Some say that Hillary Clinton’s memoir, What Happened, is only furthering the divides in the Democratic Party. Politico reports that Democrats “dread” Clinton’s book tour, with former campaign staffers calling it “the final torture.” Both PoliticoandNew York Magazine reported the following exchange with Claire McCaskill:

Asked whether she was excited about Clinton’s book tour, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), one of Republicans’ top 2018 targets, responded first with, “Beg your pardon?”

Asked again, she started shaking her head, walking away.

But whether Clinton’s book came at the best time for Democrats doesn’t really matter. Clinton’s story now represents a vitally important moment in American political life that took the United States 241 years to reach. Her story is part of something bigger than any one party—it’s part of history, and, more pointedly, it’s a major part of American women’s history.

Political memoirs don’t have the best reputation. As a genre, they tend to be at once itinerant and formulaic. Often, their release is met with long lines in bookstores, triumphant pre-orders on Amazon, press tours and think pieces before the tombs themselves are retired to living room bookshelf—their pages and spines conspicuously pristine. These memoirs must serve as a time capsule and PR strategist, supplying future historians an immediate public with a figure’s authorized account of events. The needs are tough to balance, and the assemblage these parts is more interesting than their often milquetoast contents.

But even in the aftermath of a less contentious election and amid a less deranged presidential administration, Clinton’s memoir is an important piece of history in its own right, for much the same reason her presidency would have been. What Happened presents the first time a woman’s gaze will provide the candidate’s view of a major party’s presidential race. Grappling with sexism will be part of that first-hand narrative for the first time, just as grappling with racism was when former President Barack Obama captured the nomination and the White House in 2008. For the first time, a candidate will draw on a professional career that began and has been continuously devoted to policies and programs affecting women and children. Issues which are traditionally seen as “soft” and which have only very recently found their place in mainstream “hardcore” policy debates will be cemented in a presidential candidate’s memoir as signature issues.

Clinton has not packaged her book like a typical political memoir, though it has been received much the same. Its title is declarative rather than questioning. She’s out to set the record straight, not to ruminate on could have-beens. The cover does not have the universal dull-but-glossy-enough-its reflection-will-catch-your-eye headshot that I suspect a marketing agency decided was the best way to sell political memoirs circa 1982. Although the question of “what happened” has been on everyone’s mind since November 8, What Happened isn’t Clinton coming to explain—she’s coming to tell. In a recent interview with CBS Clinton seemed to underline the book’s aim, she declared that she is “done with being a candidate.” Although Clinton has vowed she will remain active in progressive democratic politics, she’s made clear she is finished being a linchpin for the Democratic Party, or anyone else.

It’s not news that women’s voices have been subjugated throughout history in the interest of the “greater good.” Education, financial and intellectual resources and opportunity have all been sacrificed on the altar of women’s prescribed role as moral arbiter of the hearth, home and community. Progress has been made, but women around the world and at every level of society continue to pay for the ramifications of being told for millennia that their stories, their ideas and their personal beings were second, third, last to men and to the social order.

There’s no such thing as a woman “earning” the right to tell her story, as some defenders of Clinton have acknowledged amid griping. Every woman—every person—has a right to tell their story, and What Happened will mark the fourth time Clinton has done so in book form. What Clinton has earned is the right to tell the story of the first woman—and arguably most qualified candidate in history—to secure the presidential nomination of a major political American party, and who beat the most unqualified, misogynistic and dangerous president elected in modern times by three million votes.

The fact that so many are comfortable denigrating that story at this juncture of women’s history proves that there are far bigger problems than a book tour ahead. What Happened is doomed to happen again—unless, this time, we listen.

Lauren Young is an Editorial Associate at Ms. She has a Master’s Degree in European and Russian Studies from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Russian Civilization from Smith College. Follow her on @thatlaurenyoung.

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched her re-election campaign with a scathing attack on German auto bosses on Saturday yet the electorate is unlikely to have been inspired by the criticism, according to ING Germany's chief economist.Europe News

Police have killed at least 11 people in the aftermath of Kenya’s presidential election on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Following the re-election of incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta, supporters of challenging candidate Raila Odinga protested in the cities of Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa — opposition strongholds — where police have fired guns and tear gas as protesters burned shacks, tires and barricades.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights put the death toll higher, claiming that police shootings during post-election protests have killed 24 people since Aug. 8, with 17 of the killings taking place in the capital Nairobi.

The National Super Alliance (NASA), the opposition coalition that ran Odinga as its candidate, has contested the result of the election, alleging that the results are fraudulent.

Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which conducted the election, responded to the fraud claims in a letter alleging flaws in NASA calculations. The IEBC reports that NASA neglected to provide data supporting their vote count and that NASA’s numbers on votes cast and registered voters in multiple counties were erroneous.

According to official results, Kenyatta received 54.3 percent of the vote, while Odinga received 44.7 percent. While the IEBC had 7 days to announce the official results, they declared Kenyatta the winner of the election on Aug. 11.

“Your neighbour will always be your neighbour and we cannot fight over an election,” Kenyatta said after the IEBC announced his victory. “We have seen the results of political violence and I am certain that there is no single Kenyan who would wish for us to go back to those days.”

The president said he “extend[s] a hand of friendship” to Odinga and his supporters and encouraged Kenyans to do the same, saying, “Let us shun violence and let us refuse to be used for short-term political gain that can only cost our country pain and grief in the longer term.”

Ahead of the vote, the IEBC reported no major issues with the polling process across Kenya’s 40,833 polling stations, although they acknowledged issues such as delayed station opening times due to adverse weather as well as a failed election hacking attempt.

This is not the first time Kenya, a country marked by economic prosperity as well as political corruption, has experienced post-election turmoil.

Violence ensued after the 2007 election, when at least 1,000 people were killed and about 600,000 were displaced from their homes. Claims of election tampering also surfaced in the 2013 election, which Odinga also lost to then-incumbent Mwai Kibaki.

While President Donald Trump has questioned the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia sought to interfere in last year’s elections, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seemed to indicate his support for the assessment in remarks on Monday.RTT – Political News

The figures on voter participation in the election for Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly, held on Sunday, were manipulated, claimed SmartMatic, the company in charge of counting the votes.RTT – Economic News

The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU), criticized the Constituent Assembly vote held yesterday by Venezuela and suggested that it will not recognize its results.RTT – Economic News

Several countries in the Americas dismissed the vote held Sunday in Venezuela to elect a National Constituent Assembly, promoted by President Nicol?s Maduro to modify the country’s constitution.RTT – Economic News

Don’t let the election in the United States be a distraction. Two political parties each pursuing external power have produced a destructive and predictable consequence. The pursuit of external power – the ability to manipulate and control – is now counterproductive to our evolution. It is toxic. This means that attempting to change circumstances in any way with external power will not produce the world that we desire – a world of harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. It will only contribute more to the world of what the world is currently made of – fear.

The only remedy to fear is love. The only place where you can choose between the intention of love and the intention of fear is in yourself. This is the contribution that you can make. It may seem a small contribution, but that is from the perspective of the five senses. From a multi-sensory perspective it is the strongest and most powerful contribution that you can make to our common collective. It is the most powerful and constructive contribution that you can make to Life. And it is the contribution that you were born to make.

To create with love requires you to identify fear in yourself and challenge it by not acting on it and instead act from the most loving part of your personality that you can. The frightened parts of your personality are those that you experience as anger, jealousy, resentment, terror, depression, humiliation, happiness at getting what you want, etc. The loving parts of your personality are those that you experience as gratitude, appreciation, caring, and patience, among others.

From a five-sensory perspective, it may appear impossible to be grateful or appreciative of an occurrence that you do not want to happen. From a multi-sensory perspective, it is an opportunity to grow spiritually, and opportunities to grow spiritually are always being offered to us in the intimacy of our own experiences, no matter what is happening outside of us such as a 911 type event or a macro event such as the election of an American president that was created by the same energy, the energy of fear.

Now is the time to come to terms with the energy of fear in you, to use your courage to experience fear fully emotionally in terms of physical sensations in your body and to challenge it by choosing consciously to act with an intention of love. Look for what you can find to be grateful for in the world around you. See what you can find about yourself and change in yourself for the better. Create authentic power.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

GPS for the Soul – The Huffington Post
Special News Bulletin-http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

If you ask us at HuffPost Comedy, there’s not nearly enough crazy stuff happening in this presidential election. We asked our thousands of comedy minions on Twitter to kick this political process in the balls with the hashtag #ActionMovieCampaignSlogan.

Need proof the election season is in full swing for swingers? How about a porn film based on Hillary Clinton’s race for the Oval Office.

In the pervy political parody, filmed Tuesday in Los Angeles, adult actress Nina Hartley plays the former secretary of state. James Bartholet costars as Bill Clinton.

This marks the fourth time Hartley has played the former first lady. Her most famous performance includes an all-girl threesome in 2008’s “Who’s Nailin’ Paylin?”

“I’m not a trained actress, but I’ve been making adult films for 31 years,” Hartley told the Huffington Post. “I’ve gotten to an age where I’m playing authority figures by default. She’s a powerful figure married to another powerful figure so she’s ripe for caricature.”

Hartley said the key to playing Hillary in a sex scene is to take charge.

“I play her very in charge, a tad bossy, without veering to emasculation, but she is able to articulate what she wants,” Hartley said. “I do have sex fantasies about her. I imagine she’s bisexual and that she’s deeply passionate.”

Bartholet won’t be having sex as Bill Clinton, according to director Billy Watson.

“The way we have it, he has this attitude of ‘Whatever it takes, Hil,'” Watson told HuffPost. “He figures it’s fair considering he had sex with Monica Lewinsky.”

Watson, Hartley and Bartholet have done similar carnal takes on current events.

“Parks & Recreation” returned from an unexpected hiatus with back-to-back episodes that decided Leslie Knope’s fate in Pawnee. It was election results time, and the whole gang vowed that they would stand by Leslie until all of the votes were counted. Expecting it to be a long night, Jerry-now-Larry went out for pizzas, but the results were in before he got back.

“Too close to call, a real nail-biter, anybody’s game,” Perd Hapley said to kick off his broadcast coverage. “These are three phrases you won’t hear tonight, as Leslie Knope has been voted out of office. What was expected to be a close race has actually been a not-close race.”

Of course, this was the moment Larry returned with the pizzas, singing a happy tune. “Larry, everyone is miserable, and you are only making it worse,” Chris told him.

With only one month left in office, Leslie ultimately vowed to buckle down and try and get as much done as she could. But that leaves the question open, what’s next for Leslie Knope? Will her political ambitions take on a more national scale? Will she seek a higher position in Pawnee?